List of Catholic martyrs of the English Reformation

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The Catholic martyrs of the English Reformation are men and women executed under treason legislation in the English Reformation, between 1534 and 1680, and recognised as martyrs by the Catholic Church. Though consequences of the English Reformation were felt in Ireland and Scotland as well, this article only covers those who died in the Kingdom of England.

Contents

On 25 February 1570, Pope Pius V's "Regnans in Excelsis" bull excommunicated the English Queen Elizabeth I, and any who obeyed her. This papal bull released her subjects from allegiance to her. In response, in 1571 legislation was enacted making it treasonable to be under the authority of the pope, including being a Jesuit, being Catholic or harbouring a Catholic priest. The standard penalty for all those convicted of treason at the time was execution by being hanged, drawn and quartered.

In the reign of Pope Gregory XIII (1572–85), authorisation was given for 63 recognised martyrs to have their relics honoured and pictures painted for Catholic devotions. These martyrs were formally beatified by Pope Leo XIII, 54 in 1886 and the remaining nine in 1895. Further groups of martyrs were subsequently documented and proposed by the Catholic bishops of England and Wales and formally recognised by Rome. [1]

Numbers in various categories

In 1874 a process was begun, containing 353 names, to which six were added in Rome, making 359. [2] Of those:

  1. 54 were beatified in 1886, of whom two were canonized in 1935, and 11 in 1970.
  2. 9 were beatified in 1895.
  3. One (Oliver Plunkett) was beatified in 1920, and canonized in 1975.
  4. 136 were beatified in 1929, of whom 29 were canonized in 1970
  5. 85 were beatified in 1987.
  6. (So 285 were beatified at various times, of whom 43 were subsequently canonised).
  7. 30 were declared venerable, of whom one, John Travers, was executed in Dublin and appears in Irish Catholic Martyrs.
  8. (So 315 were declared venerable, of whom 285 were subsequently beatified).
  9. 44 were postponed ("dilati") – 36 died in prison and 8 were postponed for other reasons.

Saints

Canonised on 19 May 1935

Sir Thomas More and Bishop John Fisher Sir Thomas More and Bishop John Fisher.jpg
Sir Thomas More and Bishop John Fisher
  1. John Fisher (1469–1535), Bishop of Rochester; Cardinal (Yorkshire – London, England)
  2. Thomas More, (1478–1535), married layman of the Archdiocese of Westminster (London, England)

Canonised on 25 October 1970

John Houghton John Houghton.jpeg
John Houghton
  1. John Houghton (c. 1487–1535), priest of the Carthusian order (Essex – London, England)
  2. Robert Lawrence (c. 1485–1535), priest of the Carthusian order (London, England) [3]
  3. Augustine Webster (died 1535), priest of the Carthusian order (London, England)
  4. Richard Reynolds (c. 1492–1535), priest of the Bridgettine order (Devon – London, England) [4]
  5. John Stone (died 1539), priest of the Augustinian order (Kent, England)
  6. Cuthbert Mayne (c. 1544–1577), priest of the Diocese of Plymouth (Devon – Cornwall, England)
  7. Edmund Campion (c. 1540–1581), Jesuit priest (London, England)
  8. Ralph Sherwin (c. 1550–1581), priest of the Diocese of Nottingham (Derby – London, England)
  9. Alexander Briant (c. 1556–1581), Jesuit priest (Somerset – London, England)
  10. John Paine (1532–1582), priest of the Diocese of Brentwood (Northampton – Essex, England)
  11. Luke Kirby (c. 1549–1582), priest of the Diocese of Middlesbrough (North Yorkshire – London, England)
  12. Richard Gwyn (alias Richard White) (c. 1537–1584), married layman of the Diocese of Wrexham (Powys – Clwyd, Wales)
  13. Margaret Clitherow née Middleton (1556–1586), married laywoman of the Diocese of Middlesbrough (North Yorkshire, England) [5]
  14. Margaret Ward (c. 1550–1588), laywoman of the Diocese of Shrewsbury (Cheshire – London, England)
  15. Edmund Gennings (1567–10 December 1591), priest of the Archdiocese of Birmingham (Staffordshire – London, England)
  16. Swithin Wells (1536– 10 December 1591), married layman of the Diocese of Portsmouth (Hampshire – London, England)
  17. Eustace White (1559–10 December 1591), priest of the Diocese of Nottingham (Lincolnshire – London, England) [6]
  18. Polydore Plasden (1563–10 December 1591), priest of the Archdiocese of Westminster (London, England) [6]
  19. John Boste (1543–1594), priest of the Diocese of Lancaster (Cumbria – London, England) [7]
  20. Robert Southwell (1561–1595), Jesuit priest (Norfolk – London, England) [6]
  21. Henry Walpole (1558–1595), Jesuit priest (Norfolk – North Yorkshire, England) [6]
  22. Philip Howard, Earl of Arundel (1557–1595), married layman of the Diocese of Arundel and Brighton (London, England)
  23. John Griffith (alias Jones, Buckley, or Griffith, or Godfrey Maurice) (1559–1598), priest of the Franciscan Friars Minor (Observants) (Gwynedd, Wales – London, England)
  24. John Rigby (c. 1570–1600), laypman of the Archdiocese of Liverpool (Lancashire – London, England)
  25. Anne Line née Higham (c. 1565–1601), married laywoman of the Diocese of Brentwood (Essex – London, England)
  26. Nicholas Owen (c. 1550–1606), Jesuit (Oxfordshire – London, England)
  27. Thomas Garnet (1575–1608), Jesuit priest (London, England)
  28. John Roberts (c. 1576–1610), priest of the Benedictine order (English Congregation) (Gwynedd, Wales – London, England)
  29. John Almond (c. 1577–1612), priest of the Archdiocese of Liverpool (Merseyside – London, England) [6]
  30. Edmund Arrowsmith (1585–1628), Jesuit priest (Lancashire, England)
  31. Edward Barlow (Ambrose) (1585–1641), priest of the Benedictine order (English Congregation) (Lancashire, England) [8]
  32. Bartholomew Roe (Alban) (1583–1642), priest of the Benedictine order(English Congregation) (Suffolk – London, England)
  33. Henry Morse (1595–1645), Jesuit priest (Suffolk – London, England) [6]
  34. John Southworth (1592–1654), priest of the Archdiocese of Westminster (Lancashire – London, England)
  35. John [William] Plessington (c. 1637–1679), priest of the Diocese of Lancaster (Lancashire – Cheshire, England)
  36. Philip Evans (c. 1645–1679), Jesuit priest (Monmouthshire – Cardiff, Wales)
  37. John Lloyd (c. 1630–1679), priest of the Diocese of Menevia (Powys – Cardiff, Wales)
  38. John Wall (Joachim of Saint Anne) (c. 1620–1679), priest of the Franciscan Friars Minor (Recollects) (Lancashire – Worcestershire, England) [6]
  39. John Kemble (1599–1679), priest of the Archdiocese of Cardiff (Herefordshire, England)
  40. David Lewis (1616–1679), Jesuit priest (Monmouthshire, England) [6]

Canonised on 12 October 1975

  1. Oliver Plunkett (1625–1681), Archbishop of Armagh (Meath, Ireland – London, England)

Canonised on 17 October 1976

  1. John Ogilvie (1579–1615), Jesuit priest (Moray – Glasgow, Scotland)

Blesseds

Beatified on 29 December 1886

Carthusian martyrs of London, Nottingham and Axholme Vicente Carducho. Pinturas para la cartuja de El Paular. 14.jpg
Carthusian martyrs of London, Nottingham and Axholme
Martyrdom of Humphrey Middlemore, William Exmew and Sebastian Newdigate Vicente Carducho. Pinturas para la cartuja de El Paular. 03.jpg
Martyrdom of Humphrey Middlemore, William Exmew and Sebastian Newdigate

As well as those listed below, John Fisher and Thomas More were beatified on this date, as were 11 members [lower-alpha 1] of the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales, making a total of 54.

  1. John Haile (or Hale) (died 1535), priest of the Archdiocese of Westminster (London, England) [9]
  2. William Exmew (died 1535), priest of the Carthusian order (London, England)
  3. Humphrey Middlemore (died 1535), priest of the Carthusian order (Birmingham – London, England)
  4. Sebastian Newdigate (died 1535), priest of the Carthusian order (Middlesex – London, England)
  5. John Rochester (died 1537), priest of the Carthusian order (Essex – North Yorkshire, England)
  6. James Walworth (died 1537), priest of the Carthusian order (North Yorkshire, England)
  7. William Greenwood (died 1537), priest of the Carthusian order (London, England)
  8. John Davy (died 1537), Carthusian monk (London, England)
  9. Robert Salt (died 1537), Carthusian monk (London, England)
  10. Walter Pierson (died 1537), Carthusian monk (London, England)
  11. Thomas Green (died 1537), priest of the Carthusian order (London, England)
  12. Thomas Scryven (died 1537), Carthusian monk (London, England)
  13. Thomas Redyng (died 1537), Carthusian monk (London, England)
  14. Richard Bere (died 1537), priest of the Carthusian order (Somerset – London, England)
  15. Thomas Johnson (died 1537), priest of the Carthusian order (London, England)
  16. John Forest (died 1538), priest of the Franciscan Friars Minor (Observants) (London, England)
  17. Thomas Abel (died 1540), priest of the Archdiocese of Westminster (London, England)
  18. Edward Powell (died 1540), priest of the Diocese of Clifton (Wales – London, England)
  19. Richard Fetherston (died 1540), priest of the Diocese of Menevia (London, England)
  20. William Horne (died 1540), Cathusian monk (London, England)
  21. Margaret Pole, Countess of Salisbury (1473–1541), married layman of the Diocese of Portsmouth (Somerset – London, England)
  22. John Larke (died 1544), priest of the Archdiocese of Westminster (London, England)
  23. German Gardiner (died 1544), priest of the Archdiocese of Southwark (London, England)
  24. Thomas Plumtree (died 1570), priest of the Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle (Lincolnshire – Durham, England)
  25. John Felton (died 1570), married layman of the Archdiocese of Southwark (London, England)
  26. John Storey (died 1571), married layman of the Diocese of Clifton (Wiltshire – London, England)
  27. Thomas Woodhouse (1535–1573), Jesuit priest (Lincolnshire – London, England)
  28. John Nelson (died 1578), Jesuit priest (Yorkshire – London, England)
  29. Thomas Sherwood (1551–1578), layman of the Archdiocese of Westminster (London, England)
  30. Everard Hanse (died 1581), priest of the Diocese of Northampton (Northamptonshire – London, England)
  31. Thomas Ford (died 1582), Priest of the Diocese of Plymouth (Devon – London, England)
  32. John Shert (died 1582), priest of the Diocese of Shrewsbury (Cheshire – London, England)
  33. Robert Johnson (died 1582), priest of the Diocese of Shrewsbury (Shropshire – London, England)
  34. William Filby (died 1582), priest of the Archdiocese of Birmingham (Oxfordshire – London, England)
  35. Lawrence Richardson (also known as Lawrence Johnson [10] ) (died 1582), priest of the Archdiocese of Liverpool (Lancashire – London, England)
  36. Thomas Cottam (1549–1582), Jesuit priest (Lancashire – London, England)
  37. William Lacy (or Lacey) (died 1582), priest of the Diocese of Leeds (North Yorkshire, England)
  38. Richard Kirkman (died 1582), priest of the Diocese of Leeds (North Yorkshire, England)
  39. James Tompson (died 1582), priest of the Diocese of Middlesbrough (North Yorkshire, England)
  40. William Hart (died 1583), priest of the Diocese of Clifton (Somerset – North Yorkshire, England)
  41. Richard Thirkeld (died 1583), priest of the Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle (Durham – North Yorkshire, England)

Beatified on 13 May 1895

Sir Thomas Percy, 7th Earl of Northumberland Thomas Percy Earl of Northumberland 1566.jpg
Sir Thomas Percy, 7th Earl of Northumberland
  1. Adrian Fortescue (c. 1480–1539), married layman of the Archdiocese of Westminster; Member of the Lay Dominicans and Knights of Saint John of Jerusalem (Hertfordshire – London, England) [11]
  2. Richard Whiting (died 1539), priest of the Benedictine order (English Congregation); Abbot of Glastonbury (Somerset, England)
  3. John Thorne (died 1539), priest of the Benedictine order (English Congregation) (Somerset, England)
  4. Roger James (died 1539), priest of the Benedictine order (English Congregation) (Somerset, England)
  5. Hugh Cook Faringdon (died 1539), priest of the Benedictine order (English Congregation); Abbot of Reading (Berkshire, England)
  6. William Eynon (John) (died 1539), priest of the Benedictine order (English Congregation) (Berkshire, England)
  7. John Rugg (or Rugge) (died 1539), priest of the Benedictine order (English Congregation) (Berkshire, England)
  8. John Beche (or Thomas Marshall) (died 1539), priest of the Benedictine order (English Congregation); Abbot of Colchester (Essex, England)
  9. Thomas Percy, Earl of Northumberland (1528–1572), married layman of the Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle (Northumberland – North Yorkshire, England)

Beatified on 15 December 1929

One Hundred and Seven Martyrs of England and Wales One-hundred-and-seven-martyrs-of-england-and-wales.png
One Hundred and Seven Martyrs of England and Wales

As well as those listed below, 29 members [lower-alpha 2] of the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales were also beatified on that date, making a total of 136. This beatification was attended by G.K. Chesterton as detailed in his book The Resurrection of Rome.

  1. Henry Abbot, layman, 4 July 1597
  2. John Amias, priest, 16 March 1589 [12]
  3. Robert Anderton, priest, 25 April 1586. [13]
  4. William Andleby, priest, 4 July 1597 [14]
  5. Ralph Ashley, Jesuit priest, 7 April 1607 [8]
  6. Thomas Aufield, priest, 6 July 1585 [15]
  7. Christopher Bales, priest, 4 March 1590 [16]
  8. Mark Barkworth, Benedictine, 27 February 1601 [8]
  9. William Barrow, [17] alias William Harcourt, 20 June 1679
  10. James Bell, priest, 1584
  11. James Bird (or Byrd or Beard), layman, 25 March 1592
  12. John Bodey, priest, 2 November 1583 [18]
  13. Thomas Bosgrave, layman, 4 July 1594 [19]
  14. William Browne, layman, 5 September 1605
  15. Christopher Buxton, priest, died Canterbury, 1 October 1588 [20]
  16. Edward Campion (also known as Gerard Edwards), 1 October 1588 [20]
  17. John Carey, Dublin born lay helper of John Cornelius S.J., 4 July 1594 [19]
  18. Edmund Catherick, priest, 1642
  19. James Claxton (Clarkson), priest, 1588
  20. Edward Colman (or Coleman), layman, 1678
  21. Ralph Corbie, Jesuit, 7 September 1644 [8]
  22. John Cornelius, Jesuit priest, 4 July 1594 [19]
  23. Ralph Crockett, priest, 1 October 1588
  24. Robert Dalby, priest, York, 16 March 1589 [12]
  25. William Dean, priest, 28 August 1588 [21]
  26. Francis Dicconson, priest, 1590
  27. Roger Dicconson, priest, 7 July 1591
  28. James Duckett, layman, 1601
  29. John Duckett, priest, 1644
  30. Thomas Felton, Franciscan, 1588
  31. James Fenn, priest, 1584
  32. John Fenwick, Jesuit priest, 1679 [17]
  33. John Finch, 1584
  34. William Freeman, priest, 1595
  35. Edward Fulthrop, layman, 1597
  36. John Gavan, Jesuit priest, 1679 [17]
  37. Miles Gerard, priest, 1590
  38. George Gervase, Benedictine, 1608
  39. David Gonson (or Gunston), professed Knight in the Order of St John, [22] 12 July 1541
  40. Hugh Green, priest, 1642
  41. John Grove, layman, 24 January 1679
  42. William Gunter, priest, 1588
  43. William Harrington, priest, 1594
  44. William Hartley, priest, 1588
  45. Thomas Hemerford, priest, 1584 [6]
  46. Richard Herst (Hurst), layman, 29 August 1628
  47. John Hewitt (alias Weldon, alias Savell), priest, 1588
  48. Sydney Hodgson, layman, 10 December 1591
  49. Thomas Holford, priest, 1588
  50. Thomas Holland, priest, 12 December 1642 [8]
  51. Laurence Humphreys (or Humphrey), layman, 7 July 1591
  52. John Ingram, priest, 1594 [6]
  53. John Ireland, priest, 7 March 1544 [23]
  54. William Ireland, Jesuit priest, 1679 [17]
  55. Edward James, priest, 1588 [6]
  56. Edward Jones, priest, 1590
  57. Brian Lacey, layman, 10 December 1591
  58. Richard Langhorne, layman, 1679
  59. Richard Langley, layman, 1586
  60. Richard Leigh, priest, 1588 [6]
  61. John Lockwood, priest, 1642 [6]
  62. William Marsden, priest, 25 April 1586 [13]
  63. Richard Martin, layman, 30 August 1588
  64. John Mason, layman, 1591
  65. Thomas Maxfield, priest, 1616
  66. Anthony Middleton, priest, 1590
  67. Ralph Milner, layman, 7 July 1591
  68. Hugh More, layman, 28 August 1588
  69. Robert Morton, priest, 1588 [6]
  70. John Munden, priest, 1584 [6]
  71. George Napper (alias Napier), priest, Oxford, 1610
  72. John Nutter, priest, 1584
  73. Edward Oldcorne, Jesuit priest, 1606 [6]
  74. Francis Page, Jesuit, 1602
  75. William Patenson, priest, 1592
  76. John Pibush, priest, 1601
  77. Thomas Pickering, Benedictine, 1679
  78. Philip Powell, Benedictine, 1646
  79. Alexander Rawlins, priest, 1595
  80. Thomas Reynolds, priest, 21 January 1642 [8]
  81. William Richardson, priest, 1603 [8]
  82. John Robinson, priest, 1 October 1588
  83. John Roche, layman, 1588
  84. Patrick Salmon, layman, 4 July 1594 [19]
  85. Maurus Scott (William Scot) 1612
  86. Edward Shelley, 30 August 1588,
  87. John Slade, layman, 1583
  88. Richard Smith, (also known as Richard Newport), priest, 1612 [24]
  89. Thomas Somers, priest, 1610
  90. John Speed, layman, 4 February 1594
  91. William Howard, 1st Viscount Stafford, layman, 29 December 1680
  92. Edward Stransham, priest, 1586
  93. Robert Sutton, layman, 5 October 1588
  94. George Swallowell, layman, 26 July 1594
  95. Thomas Thwing, priest, 1679 [17]
  96. Thomas Tunstall, priest, 1616
  97. Anthony Turner, Jesuit, 1679 [6]
  98. Thomas Warcop, layman, 4 July 1597
  99. William Ward, priest, 1641
  100. Edward Waterson, priest, 1593
  101. Robert Watkinson, priest, 1602
  102. William Way (alias May or Flower), priest, 1588
  103. Thomas Welbourne, layman, 1 August 1605
  104. Thomas Whitbread, Jesuit, 1679 [17]
  105. Robert Widmerpool, layman, 1 October 1588 [20]
  106. Robert Wilcox, priest, 1 October 1588 [20]
  107. Peter Wright, Jesuit, 1651

Beatified 22 November 1987 by Pope John Paul II

Thomas Bullaker Thomas Bullaker.jpg
Thomas Bullaker
  1. John Adams, priest, 8 October 1586 [25]
  2. Thomas Atkinson, priest, 1616
  3. Edward Bamber, priest, 1646 [17]
  4. George Beesley, priest, 5 July 1591 [26]
  5. Arthur Bell, Franciscan priest, 1643 [17]
  6. Thomas Belson, layman, 5 July 1589 [27]
  7. Robert Bickerdike, layman, 23 July 1586
  8. Alexander Blake, layman, 4 March 1590; [16]
  9. Marmaduke Bowes, layman, 26 November 1585 [28]
  10. John Britton (alias Bretton), layman, 1 April 1598 [29]
  11. Thomas Bullaker, Franciscan priest, 1642
  12. Edward Burden, priest, 1588
  13. Roger Cadwallador, priest, 1610
  14. William Carter, layman, 11 January 1584 [30]
  15. Alexander Crow, priest, 30 November 1587
  16. William Davies, priest, 27 July 1593
  17. Robert Dibdale, priest, 8 October 1586 [25]
  18. George Douglas, priest, 1587
  19. Robert Drury, priest, 1607
  20. Edmund Duke, priest, 27 May 1590 [6]
  21. George Errington, layman, 1596
  22. Roger Filcock, priest, 1601
  23. John Finglow (Fingley), priest, 8 August 1586
  24. Matthew Flathers, priest, 1608
  25. Richard Flower, layman, 1588
  26. Nicholas Garlick, priest, 1588
  27. William Gibson, layman, 1596
  28. Ralph Grimston, layman, 1598
  29. Robert Grissold, layman, 1604
  30. John Hambley, priest, 1587
  31. Robert Hardesty, layman, 1589
  32. George Haydock, priest, 12 February 1584 [6]
  33. Henry Heath, Franciscan priest, 1643
  34. Richard Hill, priest, 27 May 1590
  35. John Hogg, priest, 27 May 1590
  36. Richard Holiday, priest, 27 May 1590
  37. Nicholas Horner, layman, 4 March 1590
  38. Thomas Hunt, priest, 1600
  39. Thurstan Hunt, priest, 1601
  40. Francis Ingleby, priest, 3 June 1586
  41. William Knight, layman, 1596
  42. Joseph Lambton, priest, 24 July 1592 [6]
  43. William Lampley, layman, 1588
  44. John Lowe, priest, 8 October 1586 [25]
  45. Robert Ludlam, priest, 1588
  46. Charles Mahoney (alias Meehan), Franciscan priest, 1679
  47. Robert Middleton, priest, March 1601 [6]
  48. George Nichols, priest, 1589
  49. John Norton, layman, 1600
  50. Robert Nutter, priest, 1600
  51. Edward Osbaldeston, priest, 1594
  52. Anthony Page, priest, 1593
  53. Thomas Palasor, priest, 1600
  54. William Pike, layman, 22 December 1591
  55. Thomas Pilchard, priest, 21 March 1587
  56. Thomas Pormort, priest, 20 February 1592 [6]
  57. Nicholas Postgate, priest, 1679
  58. Humphrey Pritchard, layman, 1589
  59. Christopher Robinson, priest, 1597
  60. Stephen Rowsham, priest, 1587
  61. John Sandys, priest, 11 August 1586
  62. Montford Scott, priest, 2 July 1591
  63. Richard Sergeant, priest, 2 April 1586
  64. Richard Simpson, priest, 1588
  65. Peter Snow, priest, 1598
  66. William Southerne, priest, 1618
  67. William Spenser, priest, 1589
  68. Thomas Sprott, priest, 1600
  69. John Sugar, priest, 1604
  70. Robert Sutton, priest, 1587
  71. Edmund Sykes, priest, 23 March 1587
  72. John Talbot, layman, 1600
  73. Hugh Taylor, priest, 25 November 1585 [28]
  74. William Thomson, priest, 20 April 1586
  75. Robert Thorpe, priest, 15 May 1591
  76. John Thulis, priest, 18 Mar 1616 [6]
  77. Edward Thwing, priest, 26 July 1600 [6]
  78. Thomas Watkinson, layman, 31 May 1591 [6]
  79. Henry Webley, 28 August 1588
  80. Christopher Wharton, priest, 1600
  81. Thomas Whitaker, priest, 1646 [17]
  82. John Woodcock, Franciscan priest, 7 August 1646 [6]
  83. Nicholas Woodfen, priest, 21 January 1586
  84. Roger Wrenno, layman, 1616
  85. Richard Yaxley, priest, 1589

Venerables

Declared venerable in 1886 and not subsequently beatified

  1. Thomas Ashby, layman, 19 March 1544 – "there was some doubt that he died as a Catholic" [31]
  2. Roger Ashton, soldier, 23 June 1592 – assisted Sir William Stanley in the surrender of Deventer to Spain
  3. Laurence Bailey, layman, August 1604
  4. Anthony Bates (alias Battie), layman, 22 March 1602
  5. Thomas Bedingfeld (also known as Thomas Downes), [32] [17] 21 December 1678 (died in prison)
  6. Thomas Belchiam, Franciscan friar, 3 August 1538: [33] [34] [31]
  7. Edmund Brindholme, priest, 4 August 1540 [35] [36] [31]
  8. Anthony Brookby, Franciscan, 7 July 1537: [33] [31]
  9. Brian Cansfield (or Tansfield), 3 August 1645 [6] (died of ill-treatment in prison)
  10. Thomas Cort, Franciscan, 27 July 1538: [33] [31]
  11. Sir Thomas Dingley, layman, 9 July 1539 [31]
  12. James Dowdall, layman, 13 August 1598
  13. John Goodman, priest, 8 April 1642 [17] (died in prison)
  14. John Griffith (or Clark), priest, 8 July 1539 [31]
  15. Thomas Hackshott (alias Hawkshaw), layman, 24 August 1601
  16. James Harrison, priest, 22 March 1602
  17. Richard Horner, priest, 4 September 1598
  18. Francis Levison, Franciscan, 11 February 1680 (died in prison)
  19. John Lyon, layman, 16 July 1599 [37]
  20. Edward Mico, Jesuit, 1678 [6] (arrested, but too ill to be removed from sick-bed, where he died)
  21. Edward Morgan, priest, 26 April 1642 [6]
  22. Francis Nevil, Jesuit, February 1679 [17] (died in prison)
  23. Clement Philpott (or Philpot), layman, 4 August 1540 [36] [31]
  24. Robert Price (alias Aprece), layman, shot by Puritan soldiers, 7 May 1644
  25. Nicholas Tichborne, layman, 24 August 1601
  26. Thomas Tichborne, priest, 20 April 1602 [6]
  27. Friar Waire, Franciscan, 8 July 1539 [38] [31]
  28. Thomas Webley, layman, 6 July 1585 [15]
  29. Richard Williams, priest, 21 February 1592

As stated above, John Travers was executed in Dublin and appears in Irish Catholic Martyrs. The total number of those declared venerable in 1886 and not subsequently beatified is therefore 30.

Dilati

They "were left with their fate still in suspense, and are called Dilati. [36 of them were] "Confessors", who certainly died in prison for their faith, though it is not yet proven that they died precisely because of their imprisonment...[the remaining eight – William Tyrrwhit, James Atkinson, Matthias Harrison, Fr. Henry Garnet, S.J., John Mawson, Thomas Dyer, Lawrence Hill and Robert Green] were put off for various causes." [39] Those 'put off' are listed below in italics.

  1. Robert Dymoke, layman, 1580 (died in prison)
  2. John Cooper, layman, 1580 (died in prison)
  3. William Tyrwhit, layman, 1580 (died in prison – named by error for his brother Robert)
  4. William Chaplin, seminary priest, 1583 (died in prison)
  5. Thomas Cotesmore, priest, 1584 (died in prison)
  6. Robert Holmes, priest, 1584 (died in prison)
  7. Roger Wakeman, priest, 1584 (died in prison)
  8. James Lomax, priest, 1584 (died in prison)
  9. Mr Ailworth, layman, 1584 (died in prison)
  10. Thomas Crowther, priest, 1585 (died in prison)
  11. Edward Pole, priest, 1585 (died in prison)
  12. Laurence Vaux, priest, 1585 (died in prison)
  13. John Jetter, priest, 1585 (died in prison)
  14. John Harrison, priest, 1586 (died in prison)
  15. Martin Sherson, priest, 1587 (died in prison)
  16. Gabriel Thimelby, layman, 1587 (died in prison)
  17. Thomas Metham, Jesuit, 1592 (died in prison)
  18. James Atkinson, layman, 1595 ("killed under torture by Topcliffe, but evidence is wanted of his constancy to the end")
  19. Matthew/Matthias Harrison, seminary priest, 1599 (not yet sufficiently distinguished from James Harrison)
  20. Eleanor Hunt, widow, 1600 (died in prison)
  21. Mrs Swithun Wells, widow, 1602 (died in prison)
  22. Henry Garnet, Jesuit, executed 1606 ("was he killed ex odio fidei, or was he believed to be guilty of the Powder Plot, by merely human misjudgment, not through religious prejudice?") [15]
  23. John Mawson, layman, executed 1614 (not yet sufficiently distinguished from John Mason, 1591) 10 December 1591
  24. Thomas Dyer, Benedictine, c.1618–1630 – his identity 'has not been fully proved' [40] [41]
  25. Edward Wilkes, priest, 1642 (died in prison)
  26. Boniface Kemp, priest, OSB, 1642 (died in prison)
  27. Ildephonse Hesketh (alias William Hanson), Benedictine, 1642 (died in prison)
  28. Thomas Vaughan, priest, probably 1644 (died in prison)
  29. Richard Bradley, Jesuit, 1645 (died in prison)
  30. John Felton, priest, SJ, 1646 (died in prison)
  31. Thomas Blount, priest, probably 1646 [17] (died in prison)
  32. Robert Cox, Benedictine, 1650 (died in prison)
  33. Laurence Hill, layman, 1679 (Was it due to odium fidei, or an unprejudiced error?)
  34. Robert Green, layman, 1679 (Was it due to odium fidei, or an unprejudiced error?)
  35. Thomas Jennison, Jesuit, 1679 [17] (died in prison)
  36. William Lloyd, seminary priest, 1679 (died in prison)
  37. Placid Adelham, Benedictine, 1680 (died in prison)
  38. Richard Birkett, priest, 1680 (died in prison)
  39. Richard Lacey, Jesuit, 1680 (died in prison)
  40. William Atkins, Jesuit, 1681 (died in prison)
  41. Edward Turner, Jesuit, 1681 (died in prison)
  42. William Allison, priest, 1681 (died in prison)
  43. Benedict Constable, Benedictine, 1683 (died in prison)
  44. William Bentney (alias Bennet), Jesuit, 1692 (died in prison)

Executed for their faith in England 1534–1680

1534–1547

During the reign of Henry VIII of England.

Decrees of Elizabeth I

During the reign of Mary I, papal authority was officially reinstated and under three hundred of the minority Protestant population were martyred. [50] Upon Elizabeth I's accession to the throne, an Act of Supremacy denied papal authority over the English church; but only a decade later, in February 1570, did Pope Pius V excommunicate Elizabeth and any who obeyed her, issuing the bull Regnans in Excelsis , which purported to "release[ Elizabeth I's] subjects from their allegiance to her". [51]

In the words of the New Catholic Encyclopedia, "Without question it was Elizabeth I's intention to supplant the old religion with the new in a bloodless manner. It is significant that there were no martyrs in the first 12 years of her reign, and only five in the years 1570 to 1577." [52] Of those five, Thomas Plumtree had been chaplain to the insurgents in the Rising of the North, John Felton had published Pope Pius V's Bull Regnans in Excelsis ("reigning on high"), excommunicating Queen Elizabeth, John Story was tried for high treason, for having supported the Rising of the North and encouraging the Duke of Alba to invade, Thomas Percy, 7th Earl of Northumberland, had led the Rising of the North, and Thomas Woodhouse had declared in a letter to William Cecil that Elizabeth "for her own great disobedience is most justly deposed". [53]

The threat of invasion by a Roman Catholic country assisted by English subjects led the Crown to try to repress Roman Catholicism. [54] Responding to Pius V's action, Elizabeth I's government passed anti-Roman Catholic decrees in 1571 forbidding anyone from maintaining the jurisdiction of the pope by word, deed or act; requiring use of the Book of Common Prayer in all cathedrals, churches and chapels, and forbidding criticism of it; forbidding the publication of any bull, writing or instrument of the Holy See (the death penalty was assigned to this); and prohibiting the importing of Agnus Dei images, crosses, pictures, beads or other things from the Bishop of Rome.

Later laws made illegal the drawing of anyone away from the state church; non-attendance at a Church of England church; raising children with teachers who were not licensed by an Anglican diocesan bishop; and attending or celebrating the Roman Catholic Mass.

In 1585, a new decree made it a crime punishable by death to go overseas to receive the sacrament of Ordination to the Roman Catholic priesthood. Nicholas Devereux (who went by the alias of Nicholas Woodfen) and Edward Barber (see below Edward Stransham) were both put to death in 1586 under this law. William Thomson and Richard Lea (see below Richard Sergeant) were hanged, disembowelled and quartered under the same law. In 1588, eight priests and six laymen at Newgate were condemned and executed under this law. [54]

1570–1603

1606–1680

Died in prison

See also

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References

Notes

Citations

  1. ↑ Pullan, Malcolm (2008). The Lives and Times of Forty Martyrs of England and Wales 1535–1680. Athena Press. pp. xvii–xxii. ISBN   978-1-84748-258-7.
  2. ↑ Acts of English martyrs hitherto unpublished, page 384
  3. ↑ "catholicnews.com". Archived from the original on 18 May 2005. Retrieved 14 February 2013.
  4. ↑ "About St Richard Reynolds – St Richard Reynolds Catholic College". Archived from the original on 16 March 2013. Retrieved 14 February 2013.
  5. ↑ "CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: St. Margaret Clitherow". Newadvent.org. Retrieved 5 November 2016.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 "The Venerable English College, Rome". Archived from the original on 14 May 2013. Retrieved 25 March 2013.
  7. ↑ "Catholic Encyclopedia: St. John Boste". Newadvent.org. Retrieved 5 November 2016.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Edward MORGAN SJ". Sanalbano.org. 8 October 2016. Retrieved 5 November 2016.
  9. ↑ "Lives of the English martyrs : declared blessed by Pope Leo XIII, in 1886 and 1895". Archive.org. Retrieved 5 November 2016.
  10. ↑ "CatholicSaints.Info » Blog Archive » Blessed Lawrence Richardson". Saints.sqpn.com. 24 May 2015. Retrieved 5 November 2016.
  11. ↑ "Lives of the English martyrs : declared blessed by Pope Leo XIII, in 1886 and 1895". Archive.org. Retrieved 5 November 2016.
  12. 1 2 "Catholic Encyclopedia: Ven. John Amias". Newadvent.org. 1 March 1907. Retrieved 5 November 2016.
  13. 1 2 "CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Ven. Robert Anderton". Newadvent.org. 1 March 1907. Retrieved 5 November 2016.
  14. ↑ "CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Ven. William Andleby". Newadvent.org. 1 March 1907. Retrieved 5 November 2016.
  15. 1 2 3 "CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Ven. Thomas Alfield". Newadvent.org. 1 July 1912. Retrieved 5 November 2016.
  16. 1 2 "CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Ven. Christopher Bales". Newadvent.org. Retrieved 5 November 2016.
  17. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 T.E. Muir, Stonyhurst, (St Omers Press, Gloucestershire. Second edition, 2006) ISBN   0-9553592-0-1 p.188
  18. ↑ "CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Venerable John Bodey". Newadvent.org. Retrieved 5 November 2016.
  19. 1 2 3 4 "CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Ven. John Cornelius and Companions". Newadvent.org. 1 October 1910. Retrieved 5 November 2016.
  20. 1 2 3 4 "The Oaten Hill Martyrs". Archived from the original on 23 February 2012. Retrieved 6 June 2012.
  21. ↑ "CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Ven. William Dean". Newadvent.org. Retrieved 5 November 2016.
  22. ↑ Grand Priory of England, SMOM
  23. ↑ "CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Bl. German Gardiner". Newadvent.org. 1 September 1909. Retrieved 5 November 2016.
  24. ↑ Bunson, Matthew (2003). Our Sunday Visitor's Encyclopedia of Saints, Revised. Our Sunday Visitor Publishing. p. 712. ISBN   978-1-93170-975-0.
  25. 1 2 3 "Catholic Encyclopedia: Ven. John Adams". Newadvent.org. 1 March 1907. Retrieved 5 November 2016.
  26. ↑ "CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Ven. George Beesley". Newadvent.org. Retrieved 5 November 2016.
  27. ↑ "CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA". Newadvent.org. Retrieved 5 November 2016.
  28. 1 2 "CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Ven. Hugh Taylor". Newadvent.org. 1 July 1912. Retrieved 5 November 2016.
  29. ↑ "CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Ven. John Britton". Newadvent.org. Retrieved 5 November 2016.
  30. ↑ "CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Ven. William Carter". Newadvent.org. 1 October 1912. Retrieved 5 November 2016.
  31. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "[T]here was little hope of establishing sufficient evidence of martyrdom for ten Venerable martyrs who had suffered during the reign of Henry VIII" (the figure of ten includes John Travers, who was executed in Dublin) – see James Walsh, The Catholic Martyrs of England and wales, PP 7–8
  32. ↑ "Thomas Downes – Original Catholic Encyclopedia". Archived from the original on 29 September 2015. Retrieved 28 August 2014.
  33. 1 2 3 "Friaries: The observant friars of Greenwich | British History Online". British-history.ac.uk. 31 October 2016. Retrieved 5 November 2016.
  34. ↑ "The Observant Friar Martyrs of Greenwich". Seattle Catholic. 27 July 2005. Retrieved 5 November 2016.
  35. ↑ "CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Ven. Edmund Brindholm". Newadvent.org. Retrieved 5 November 2016.
  36. 1 2 3 'accused (perhaps from religious motives) of treason at Calais' – Lives of the English martyrs, declared, blessed by Pope Leo XIII in 1886 and 1895 – P483
  37. ↑ "Venerable John Lyon". St Josephs Parish Oakham. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
  38. ↑ "London Martyrs List.PDF" (PDF). Academic.regis.edu. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 November 2016. Retrieved 5 November 2016.
  39. ↑ Catholic Encyclopedia, English Confessors and Martyrs (1534–1729)
  40. ↑ "English Confessors and Martyrs – Original Catholic Encyclopedia". Archived from the original on 13 May 2015. Retrieved 28 August 2014.
  41. ↑ "One name among the dilati, that of Thomas Dyer, O.S.B., has also been silently withdrawn, possibly because the year of his martyrdom is uncertain."Nuttall, Geoffrey F. (July 1971). "The English Martyrs 1535–1680: a statistical review". The Journal of Ecclesiastical History. 22 (3): 192, note 1. doi:10.1017/S0022046900058310. S2CID   162232706.
  42. ↑ "Catholic Encyclopedia: John Allen". Newadvent.org. 1 March 1907. Retrieved 5 November 2016.
  43. ↑ Annales, or a general Chronicle of England, By John Stow, P575
  44. 1 2 Annales, or a general Chronicle of England, By John Stow, P576
  45. 1 2 The House of Commons, 1509–1558, Volume 1, By Stanley Thomas Bindoff, P117
  46. 1 2 "A complete history of the British martyrs: from the Roman occupation to Elizabeth's reign". Archive.org. Retrieved 5 November 2016.
  47. ↑ Catholic Magazine and Review, R.P. Stone, 1832, Volume 2, P276
  48. ↑ John Stow, Annales, or a general Chronicle of England, P579
  49. ↑ 'Martyrdoms at Calais in 1540?, The Downside Review, Vol 64, Issue 3, 1946
  50. ↑ The Book of Martyrs (Foxe), Chapter XVI, Wikisource, accessed 1 February 2013
  51. ↑ Barry, Patrick, "The Penal Laws", L'Osservatore Romano, p.8, 30 November 1987
  52. ↑ "Martyrs of England and Wales", New Catholic Encyclopedia, 9:322 (1967).
  53. ↑ Thomas M. McCoog (2004). "Woodhouse, Thomas (d. 1573)" . Oxford Dictionary of National Biography . Vol. 1 (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/29927 . Retrieved 8 September 2014.(Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  54. 1 2 Chapman, John H. "The Persecution under Elizabeth" Transactions of the Royal Historical Society, Old Series Vol. 9 (1881), pp. 21–43. Retrieved 2012-02-19.
  55. ↑ The history and topography of the county of Clare, from the earliest times to the beginning of the 18th century, (1893), P67 – citing Anthony Bruodin, 'Propugnaculum Catholicae Veritatis', 1669

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